Phyl Rendell was born in the Falkland Islands and spent her early schooling at Goose Green and Darwin Boarding School before going to Britain for secondary and higher education. Phyl returned to the Falklands as a qualified teacher in 1972 and taught at Stanley Senior School. She met and married Mike, a Royal Marine serving in Naval party 8901. They left the Islands in 1975 and Phyl spent time teaching in Britain and then Saudi Arabia, where Mike worked for Racal Communications after leaving the Marines. They returned to Stanley with six month old Nicholas in October 1982.

Phyl returned to the Education Department while Mike worked in the Secretariat on his return until buying Malvina House Hotel. She was appointed Camp Education Supervisor in 1984 and then Director of Education in 1988. In 1996 Phyl was appointed Director of Mineral Resources and continued in the post until retirement in 2012 but also directed the Department of Agriculture from 2004 for almost five years. During retirement Phyl has spent time assisting Mike to build the tourism and farming businesses on Bleaker Island, and was Complaints Commissioner up to her election to the Assembly. She has served as a JP for a number of years.